Friends of Kennicott was founded in 1988 by local Kennicott and McCarthy residents and other Alaskans interested in preserving the cultural and natural resources of the Historic Kennicott Mining District. Today, Friends of Kennicott continues to carry out this goal by assisting the National Park Service's (NPS) preservation efforts. We advocate for a "light touch" management approach to retain the area's rustic character and seek to provide a safe and rewarding experience for residents and visitors alike.
		Our first major accomplishment was to raise state and federal funds to perform emergency stabilization on the nine Kennicott Mill Site buildings. Between 1991 and 1994 a local contractor and a 100% local crew repaired roofs and foundations to stabilize key structures. Realizing the benefits public ownership would bring, Friends began to lobby for NPS acquisition of the mill site. These efforts succeeded in 1998 when a federal appropriation resulted in the acquisition of the mill site and mines, and paved the way for creation of the Kennecott National Historic Landmark.
Today, Friends of Kennicott actively works with the local community and the NPS to realize a shared vision for the future. Current projects include securing funds for the restoration and adaptive reuse of the Kennicott Recreation Hall, exploring alternative energy solutions for Kennicott, and developing locally based interpretive themes for both Kennicott and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
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